What does Average speed actually mean?

silverdov3

I live in Cornwall, over 1.5km from the BT green box.

My BT contract used to say that I would get 'up to 10mb' on my broadband. With the new 'average speed' figures that now must be quoted, my deal now reads that I am on an average speed of 10mb.

However, over the past 3 years the average speed has been about 1.5mb.

'Up to' has a very different meaning to 'average' ….. so are BT now breaking their contract with me?

[Deleted User]

silverdov3 wrote: »

I live in Cornwall, over 1.5km from the BT green box.
...
However, over the past 3 years the average speed has been about 1.5mb.

The distance from the green cabinet doesn't matter as you are using ADSL Broadband so the important figure is how far are you from the telephone exchange?
As your speed is 1.5Mbps, I would say the line to the exchange is in the region of 5km.

silverdov3 wrote: »

'Up to' has a very different meaning to 'average' ….. so are BT now breaking their contract with me?

No, as the average is for the whole of their customer base on ADSL so some people get 24Mbps (live next to the exchange) and others get less. Like yourself.
The reason average is used is down to OFCOM as the up to speed was said to be confusing for too many people. (the up to speed mean that 10% of the customers could get the top speed).
Average means

ISPs must state the average speed that at least 50% of their customers receive when the network is busiest (8pm-10pm).

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/broadband-speeds-codes-practice

littleboo

Ofcom have made the ISP’s replace an often mis-understood measure with an even more meaningless one. The only thing of interest is the personal speed estimate that you now get when signing up.

silverdov3

gsmlnx - Thanks for your reply. I did think that there was a get out clause but 'tis good to have it confirmed. And yes, we are about 5k from the exchange.

littleboo - how right you are!

Pity 'average' doesn't really mean 'average' :-)

ab48uk

The distance to your green box is definitely important. Your exchange and green box will be fed via fibre optic, so not distance dependant. But from the green box to your house the existing analogue cables take over, meaning distance makes a big difference. I'm lucky enough to look out of my window at the green box. So we get almost the very maximum from BT. But others (further away) in the village can get only half that.

Mister_G

The distance to the green box (cabinet) only matters if it is fibre enabled.

There are still an awful lot of cabinets out there that are not yet fibred.

The OP could try putting his phone number into this

https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/

and seeing if FTTC (VDSL) is available. If it is, and they are only 1.5km from the cabinet, then they should get about 15-20Mb.

iniltous

silverdov3 wrote: »

gsmlnx - Thanks for your reply. I did think that there was a get out clause but 'tis good to have it confirmed. And yes, we are about 5k from the exchange.

littleboo - how right you are!

Pity 'average' doesn't really mean 'average' :-)

But it does mean average, it's just a pointless figure that ISPs are required to quote , and TBH , you are a good example of why not only is it pointless but misleading , as your line to the exchange hasn't changed length, then why would a change in the way speed is advertised have any effect on your individual line , and if the old method said up to 17Mb but individually you will get 3Mb, then the new advert saying on average a BT customer gets 10Mb, doesn't change the fact that your 5Km line will still achieve 3Mb , it doesn't give to a get out clause , and even if it did, unless someone like Virgin was available , that's all any provider using an OR loop would give you.
If you only get 1.5Mb you may want to check what is predicted for your phone number/address as that seem low, unless you are on ADSL Max and not ADSL2+, you may possibly be able to get your 1.5Mb up a little

silverdov3

Thanks to all replies.
BT engineer told me that as I live >1.5 k from green box then I the most I could hope to get in 2-4mb.
It's worth noting that BT originally told me (before I moved in) that I'd get 17mb . BT engineer had a fit of laughter at this! Problem is that they base the speed on the postcode - which at one point - where the lines run - is about 750m from the cab. However, the centre of the postcode area - which is outside my front gate - is>1.5k from the box. At the top of our lane they have fibre, but as there are only 4 properties where I am there is no chance I get any faster. May be in 2032:-)

The irony is that 0.75 miles away there is a telecom cable which goes to the US and that is running at 9.7gz - around 80,000,000 times faster that my BT line :-(

Mister_G

So what speeds does this predict for your phone number?

https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/

silverdov3

On all ADSL : 1 or "up to" 1

FTTP (on demand) 330 ; this is quite meaninless in my case as there is no chance Openreach would lay the fibre the distance required whithout my paying for it. £££££

As one BT engineer said to me - "you chose to live here". Yes I replied but BT said that I would get 17mb. He didn't answer.....

[Deleted User]

silverdov3 wrote: »

On all ADSL : 1 or "up to" 1

FTTP (on demand) 330 ; this is quite meaninless in my case as there is no chance Openreach would lay the fibre the distance required whithout my paying for it. £££££

As one BT engineer said to me - "you chose to live here". Yes I replied but BT said that I would get 17mb. He didn't answer.....

Presuming you are on ADSL then all companies advertised it as "upto 17Mbps" (not guaranteed), that's why they changed to the "average" adverts.